U.S. Pat. No. 4,207,251 discloses the gas phase production of C.sub.1 -C.sub.24 organo-isocyanates by oxidative dehydrogenation of the corresponding N-monosubstituted formamides. This process also forms one mole of water for every mole of isocyanate, however, and since these two products are reactive toward each other, their quick and efficient separation is essential to the recovery of the desired isocyanate in high yields. Although this patent discloses various methods of isolating the isocyanate from the hydrous gas phase, the methods are largely inefficient, or even inapplicable, with respect to methyl isocyanate in particular. Because methyl isocyanate is more reactive towards water, especially in the liquid phase, than are the other isocyanates, it is particularly important to separate them quickly and efficiently, without allowing their liquid phase contact, to ensure high recovery of the methyl isocyanate itself.